DENYING THE FLESH

And Joshua said unto the people, Ye (you) are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they (the people) said, We are witnesses." Joshua 24:22 (KJV)

To all my fellow readers, this blog entry might sound heavy to you, but it is the truth. I don't believe in picking and choosing which scripture fits the comfort of people, in the sense that's only pleasing to man's ears. I don't believe in testing the water, but I believe in fully submerging and delving deep into the river, the word of God, the Bible.

God is in fact a wonderful Lord, no doubt about that, however there are limitations in our relationship with God. I will discuss about those limitations in another blog. However, as referred in previous blog before this, (PERFECT PEACE), I will like to concentrate this on not just overcoming everything, but overcoming the first and most important thing or spirit of all! Our Flesh!

What pertains to flesh is as Paul says in the book of Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV) (19)Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness lasciviousness, (20) idolatry(serving other gods), witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,(21) envying, murders, drunkenness, retellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

If we can deny your flesh, seeking the Lord, then we are on the road to perfection and shall walk in the Spirit of God.

Concerning perfection and in the way of the Lord Paul then says in Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV) (22)But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23)meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Now it is impossible to be perfect. We may be able to appear perfect through acts or right doing, but I assure you that (we as humans) are capable of allowing sinful thoughts time to time that come across our mind. So one of the greatest battles we must overcome is the battle with in our mind. However God looks at the heart. The heart is what tells it all. If we have a heart pure after God, pure to his acceptance and will, then we will have strong convictions. Read the Word and allow the Word of God to perfect you in Him, unto all good works.

II Timothy 3:15-17 (KJV) (15) and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (16) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (17) that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Convictions are like a conscience, but not just about right and wrong, because that is religious. True conviction is what we feel within our spirit (if in the Lord) on what is righteous or not, due to the word and will of the Lord.

We were all born into sin, except for Adam and Eve. They fell into sin or as I like to say, they fell into a false mentality of self governship, introduce by Satan, by which Satan tried and succeeded to make God to appear as a liar to Adam and Eve. I believe they didn't have a conviction when they sinned, because they weren't born into sin, however conviction first appeared to them and they went and hid from God. So through the chains of sin from original sin, we (all of f-spring from Adam and Eve) were born into sin.

Jesus years and generations later, came into the world and lived perfectly unto our Lords will, in the mandate of redemption for His creation. Jesus, however, had to deny himself in order to fulfill what God's will was for Him and what prophets prophesied about Him, before he physically came into this world, in which we were born into.

Jesus began His ministry of preaching about the Lord's Kingdom and all things with in it, Jesus fasted 41 days (ate nothing), and entered into the wilderness, all to be tempted by the devil. That means Satan tempted Jesus' flesh. Satan tempts and questions Jesus, in order to try to get Jesus to fail the mandate from His Father. Now, when you fast your flesh is hungry, so Satan tried to tempt Jesus to eat, but Jesus denied his flesh. The temptation, out of three that I am referring to, is when Satan tempted Jesus first, by telling him to make a stone into bread. Then Jesus said to Satan, that it is written (in the Bible), that man shall not live by bread alone. I'm not saying that we shouldn't eat (unless we're fasting, depending on what kind of fast), but what I am saying is that God's Word is the bread of life that which we shall hunger for.

The Bible does say in both Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13 (KJV), " No servant can serve two masters: for either he (the servant) will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye (you) cannot serve God and mammon (money)"

The verse I just referred mentions about mammon, which means money. Well, money has to do with flesh as well. In Luke 16:9 it mentions of being friends with the money, however the scripture doesn't say to serve it. We all use money, it's the common currency in the world, however people, who aren't fully after God's heart make money as their own god, and serve it more than the one true God, who is the same; yesterday, today, and forever and His covenant and promise to those who follow him full heartedly and willingly (consecrated), never ever go void. His promise’s are and is Yes and Amen (agreed). Money can go against promises and such. Money is made by man, by whom man was born into sin, which lead to popularity of a worldly promise by its use, it can provide wealth and desires which feed the flesh, therefore people change their heart to money and make it an idol in their life. In Luke 16:11(paraphrased), don't be faithful (serve) money/flesh, serve to who is Righteous and Just, the one who provided you with the money in the first place. Serve the Lord.

It is acceptable to be a friend to a sinner, however you must make sure who carries the greater influence. Jesus spoke and even ate with sinners, however He carried the Gospel was the greater influence to them. To restore them back to God. Satan's mandate is to; lie, cheat, and steal. Satan wants everyone to think they can control themselves, when really; Satan just doesn't want anyone to see that there is a new hope and greater desire that awaits us if we choose it.Satan was once an angel in heaven named Lucifer, before the creation of this world. Lucifer was in charge of the worship to God in heaven and highest ranked among angels, even ranked over the angels Michael and Gabriel. However, Lucifer got greedy and full of envy and went against, God. Lucifer wanted to take God's place on the throne. In result to pride, God kicked him out of heaven, and now Satan wants the same to happen to all of God's creation, you and me! (I will write a blog about Satan and what he is truly all about, and delve deeper into his existence, purpose, and planned destiny for the people.)

Satan first gave into his flesh and wants us all to do the same. So we must deny it, because there is a great destiny with the Lord, to live eternally in His Kingdom. There are two warring kingdoms, God and Satan's, one promising life and the other promising death.

Luke 9:23 says, If any man will come after me (Jesus), let him deny himself, and take up his (own) cross daily, and follow me. We all have a cross to bear, but Jesus paid the price, so we don't have to and so we can be re-connected with God, our Lord to receive eternal life to the fullest in Him.

I encourage you reader, that when you feel like giving into your fleshly desire, deny it and look to the Lord. The longer we hesitate of denying our flesh, the most likely we are to give into it and then re-open the door for Satan to come into our life with false lies that lead to death. Then Satan will harvest himself with in us. If that happens, then we must; quickly, sincerely, and humbly REPENT! King David said, "Be quick to repent". Not saying you're sorry, but repenting. Repenting means to do a complete opposite turn, 180 degrees, from the very sin we're repenting for. Which all links back to coming to the Lord and keeping the flame kindled with in the relationship. If we can get use to acting by our convictions with out hesitation and deny ourselves and completely gleaming onto God; then the more times we do it, the easier it becomes, because God called us to be more than conquerors. If we seek the Lord through the temptation, and allow God to help us, He will give us the ability and grace to overcome. I end this blog saying this, be encouraged, conquer over your flesh, deny it and give your all to the Lord and hold onto His promises and great relationship. Deny your flesh, abide in the Spirit, and as the Bible says in Matthew 6:33 (KJV) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and ALL these things shall be added unto you. The Bible also says in Galatians 5:24-25 (KJV) (24) And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (25) If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let nothing hinder you from the Lord.

John 12:24-25 (KJV) (24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (25) He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

God Bless